Functional Abdominal Pain-Child

Definition

Functional abdominal pain is pain that occurs with normal activity in the intestine. The pain recurs on a regular basis somewhere in the abdominal area. It is not caused by a specific disorder or condition that can be detected in testing, but it does interfere with activities and school attendance.

Causes

Food and gas put pressure on the walls of the intestine causing the intestines to stretch. Normally this pressure is not noticeable, but people with functional abdominal pain appear to be hypersensitive to this stretch and pressure. This hypersensitivity may be caused by a change in the nerves that transmit information from the intestines to the brain.

Functional pain may also be connected to crossed pathways in the brain. Emotional events create new nerve pathways in the brain. Sometimes these new pathways interact with areas of the brain that sense pain with the intestines. This could make a connection between emotional stress and functional abdominal pain.

Parasitic infection may also cause functional abdominal pain in a small percentage of children.

Symptoms

Symptoms vary widely among children. Pain can be intermittent, steady, or chronic. It may appear suddenly or slowly increase over time.

Functional abdominal pain may be:

Located near the belly button

Feel like
indigestion
, such as a burning sensation under the breastbone that is not associated with eating

A feeling of fullness after a few bites of food

Upper abdominal pain that may or not be associated with nausea or vomiting

Associated with bowel movements, but not always relieved by bowel movements

Diagnosis

You will be asked about your child’s symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. The doctor may suspect functional abdominal pain based on the type and pattern of pain. It will be helpful for the doctor to know how it has affected your child’s quality of life with missed activities and school.

Your child's bodily fluids and waste products may be tested. This can be done with:

Blood tests

Urine tests

Stool tests

Images may be taken of your child's bodily structures. This can be done with:

Treatment

In most cases, abdominal pain goes away with time and understanding. The goal of treatment is to identify and address triggers for abdominal pain, and return your child to normal activity.

Part of the treatment plan may include keeping a journal of:

Frequency and duration of abdominal pain

Circumstances that may have triggered the abdominal pain

Amount of activities and school days missed

Your child’s doctor may also recommend:

Therapy

Emotions and stress can trigger abdominal pain or make it worse. Therapy will help you and your child with stress management. This is done with different relaxation techniques.

Behavioral therapy centers on changing behaviors to help control your child’s symptoms. This can happen by avoiding triggers or coping with the pain with distraction techniques.

Medications

Medications may be used to treat physical symptoms that occur with the abdominal pain. In most cases, medications are only prescribed for a short time until pain can be resolved by therapy. These may include:

Acid reduction treatments

Muscle relaxers

Bulk laxatives or antidiarrheals

Prevention

There are no current guidelines to prevent functional abdominal pain because cause is not clear.

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

Functional abdominal pain in children American College of Gastroenterology website. Available at: http://patients.gi.org/topics/functional-abdominal-pain-in-children. Updated December 2012. Accessed October 31, 2014.